Episode 121

May 7, 2018

121: Trying new design tools

For many designers, deciding what new design or prototyping tool to choose can be overwhelming, with new tools launching every month! How can you choose the right one while also maximising your time? In this episode we discuss how we go about learning a new tool and how we choose which tool to learn.

“The best tool is the one that you are confident in and that gets the job done, so I guess that's why I don’t feel too bad about not being that first one to leap onto trying new tools ”

— Charli

Key takeaways

1 | Remember you were once happy to design web pages in Adobe Photoshop – and then Sketch came along, allowing you to complete web design projects with more ease. There will always be new tools emerging, keep your mind open to the possibility that a better tool is out there.

2 | Set aside time to learn new tools. If you don’t make time there will always be another reason not to put the time in. Choose to set aside one morning a month, and dedicate it to getting to grips with a new tool.

3 | If you have a project coming up, consider using it as an opportunity to learn a new tool. This will help to motivate you, and the new skills you gain will be more likely to stick with you if they are grounded in an actual project, rather than just following along with tutorials.

4 | Check out what learning resources the new tool you have chosen offers. The tool might have a range of online resources, or a proactive social media team ready to answer your questions. This will make all the difference when you get stuck as you will know where to go for help.

Show timestamps

00:26 Trying new design tools01:12 Catch up06:40 An abundance of design tools08:05 A reluctance to try new tools08:35 Tools that solve pain points11:55 Prototyping tools14:52 Spot the trends17:50 How to learn a new tool22:30 New project? Use a new tool27:20 Setting aside time to learn new tools